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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27101242">close your eyes and I'll kiss you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I don't like or care about these fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legacies (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Exploration, F/F, F/M, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Friends to Lovers, I hate my writing so much, I just want all these ideas gone, I want it gone, I'm just way to bored to write the good stuff, Jed was supposed to be soft for Josie and call her his best friend while high and mean it, Like, Post-Break Up, Study Date, friends then really good friends then oh shit I think I like you after two years, they were supposed to bake cookies and fall asleep during a study date and other cute moments, they were supposed to be pining for each other, they were supposed to be soft and cute and fun and smiley and sweet, this was supposed to be so much longer and better written</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 04:29:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,713</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27101242</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It turns into a routine, they meet up almost every day and it's nice. Familiar. Sweet. Comforting. Less lonely. It feels like home, kind of, when she's with him.</p><p>They slowly become friends, like, actual friends, and she's surprised when she realizes it, as she's lying down on his bed, revising for an exam, eating cookies he bought for her (he bought her favorite, he always has her favorites in his dorm) and he's asking her questions and they've been doing that for a while, but it's just... A hit of realization, they're friends.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jed/Josie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman &amp; Lizzie Saltzman, Past Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman - Relationship, past Alyssa Chang/Jed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I don't like or care about these fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2285819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>close your eyes and I'll kiss you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>https://forms.gle/DAveuz72aSbhxDqm6</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's a new start, and she is kind of excited, she has to admit. But she's also scared, so very scared, because new things can be scary, and this is something she isn't going to go through with Lizzie. Or Penelope.</p><p>Penelope is still a painful subject for her. She'll always be that, Josie admits it to herself, she's always going to love her, no matter how badly things ended between them.</p><p> </p><p>Mom and dad drop her off first, they help her move in her stuff and then they part, mom crying, dad saying he can pull some strings if she needs help passing with a wink and Lizzie hugging her as tight as ever.</p><p> </p><p>They leave and she's alone in a big dorm, waiting for her roommate to come and she starts unpacking, something of an ache in her heart she can't put a finger on if it is good or bad.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She meets her roommate, she seems okay, something about her reminds her of Nia, she's not sure why.</p><p>They go to explore the campus and end up in the canteen, exchanging horror stories about their high school teachers.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Her first week goes well, she makes friends and she even goes to a party with them.</p><p>Second week, uhm, her excitement sort of falls and she thought she's happy the first week, but... Those new people she met, they are not her friends, they're not M.G., Kaleb, Hope, Landon or Rafael.</p><p>She finds herself so lonely when the week ends, looking at a group photo dad took at graduation of her and her friends, and god, she misses them all so much.</p><p>She looks at her phone, unanswered texts she sent to her friends and to her sister, and even if she knows they will text her back, Lizzie first of them, it still makes her heart ache more. She goes to Penelope's contact, and she thinks about sending a simple hi, because she misses her so much right now, more so than anyone else.</p><p>She falls asleep, holding that photo close to her heart and phone in her hand.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Third week is okay, her friends make a plan to go back to Mystic Falls for the weekend and go camping. She's full of energy, excited for it.</p><p> </p><p>She comes home, relishing in the comfort her home gives her, her family gives her. Lizzie and her sleep in her bed together, something they haven't done in a while and it feels nice.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>They all came back, M.G., Kaleb, Landon, Rafael, Hope, Jed... Penelope.</p><p>They try avoiding each other, but it's pretty much impossible, so they end up in an awkward small talk, both still hurt and not over it yet, not able to look each other in the eyes.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>It feels so good, being surrounded by her friends, the familiarity of it all, comforting and warm. They talk about their college experiences so far, laughing at Kaleb's stories and drinking booze Jed brought. Who is apparently transferring to her college, since England isn't what he had hoped would be (but really, everyone knows he went there for Alyssa, and Alyssa <em>is </em>Alyssa).</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>She goes back to college happier. Jed comes after a week and she ends up showing him around the campus.</p><p> </p><p>They don't share classes and they're not exactly friends, so they don't really interact.</p><p> </p><p>She goes to a frat party, her friends dragged her along even if she'd prefer to stay in her dorm and study just a little bit more and then relax and call Lizzie, but she relents.</p><p>She grabs herself a drink and goes dancing with her friends, but really, she's dancing with a frat boy who has his hands all over her, she notices a familiar figure dancing and smiles at him. Jed smiles back, meeting her halfway, yelling hi over the loud music. He pulls her closer and they start dancing, yelling over the music.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>They end outside, drink in their hands, breathing in the fresh air, laughing at the memory of Kaleb at a similar party and his adventure. Their laughs fall silent and they're in silence, looking at their fellow students and listening to music.</p><p>"Do you miss it?" She asks and he looks at her, eyes narrowed in question. "Our friends, our home?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"I miss those moments where we would all be together, camping or sitting at the table during lunch, we'd laugh over something and it'd feel okay. You know what I mean?"</p><p>"Yeah. I know." They share a little smile.</p><p>"We could grab coffee sometime."</p><p>"Are you asking me on a date?" Jed asks, his smile teasing and she chuckles, shaking her head. "Damn, I was really hoping I'd win a date with Josie Saltzman."</p><p>"I'm not interested in dating now." She says and her face falls, mind going to Penelope.</p><p>"Does that mean I could get that date <em>later</em>?" She rolls her eyes at him. "It's been over a month since I transferred here. It's closer to home than England, but it still isn't home."</p><p>"There's only one Mystic Falls. How <em>was</em> England?"</p><p>"Cold. Rainy. Ugh, the accents."</p><p>"Of all the things to not like, you chose accents."</p><p>"It's not hot when you have to follow class and your professor has an accent you can barely understand and focus on it."</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>"So, when are you picking me up tomorrow? For our friend date?"</p><p>"<em>I'm</em> picking <em>you </em>up?"</p><p>"Hey, you did ask me out."</p><p>"I have two classes in the morning, so maybe after them?"</p><p>"Yeah, cool, I have one in the afternoon, so it's fine."</p><p>"It's a date then. A <em>friendly </em>date." She shoots him a look.</p><p>"I can't believe I'm going to go on a friendly date with you. This is a dream come true, I can't believe it's finally happening." He says, imitating a teenage girl and she laughs again.</p><p> </p><p>The friendly coffee date is... surprisingly nice. She realizes she never hanged out with Jed alone, they were always surrounded by their friends. But it's nice, it's someone from home, so it's comforting, in a way. He can be funny, when he's not trying to be the alpha male and impress Alyssa or show himself off.</p>
<hr/><p>It turns into a routine, they meet up almost every day and it's nice. Familiar. Sweet. Comforting. Less lonely. It feels like home, kind of, when she's with him.</p><p> </p><p>They slowly become friends, like, actual friends, and she's surprised when she realizes it, as she's lying down on his bed, revising for an exam, eating cookies he bought for her (he bought her favorite, he always has her favorites in his dorm) and he's asking her questions and they've been doing that for a while, but it's just... A hit of realization, they're <em>friends</em>.</p><p>"Did you realize we're friends?" She asks, stopping him in the middle of the question. He looks at her weirdly.</p><p>"Yes? That's a weird switch from history."</p><p>"No, I was just... I realized. We're friends. Actual friends. We have inside jokes, we hang out often, we're familiar with little things about each other... We're friends."</p><p>"If you want us to turn into something more, just say it." He winks and she rolls her eyes.</p>
<hr/><p>It's summer and they go home, they're finally home. She spends it with her friends, going swimming, camping and to the movies. It's fun, it's great.</p><p>But she kind of misses those study dates with Jed, or procrastinating movie nights, so she ends up walking to his house, ringing the bell. He opens it, his signature smile wide open when he sees her.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>"Hey." He greets back, eyes lingering on her bag.</p><p>"I was thinking, if you want to watch something, with me. I brought your favorites." She says, a sweet smile on her face.</p><p>"How could I say no to you?" He says, letting her in.</p><p>She makes herself comfortable and he sits next to her, and they start watching the movie.</p><p> </p><p>"I missed you. This." He raises an eyebrow, ready to tease her and she rolls her eyes. "Don't get cocky."</p><p>"I missed you too. This." They share a smile and go back to watching the movie.</p>
<hr/><p>College starts again, new year and they fall back into their routine. Their only contact with each other was when they were with their friends and that time she visited him, but now they're in college again and far away from everyone, from home, so it's easy to fall back.</p><p> </p><p>He starts dating a blonde girl, he even introduces her to Josie and she breaks it up almost immediately. He doesn't talk to her for almost a week after it and she finds him in his dorm.</p><p>"Is something going on?"</p><p>"No." He doesn't even look at her and she scoffs, crossing her arms.</p><p>"Dana breaks up with you and you don't talk to me for a week, but yeah, nothing is going on."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Bullshit. Jed, come on. I know we were kind of on a break during summer, but-"</p><p>"It's not about that."</p><p>"I'm sorry if you felt neglected or... "</p><p>"You make me better."</p><p>"I really care about our friendship-"</p><p>"You make me feel like a boy in kindergarten-"</p><p>"-and I'm sorry for kind of ignoring, well, totally ignoring our friendship during summer, I don't know why I did it-"</p><p>"Dana broke up with me because she thought I have feelings for you-"</p><p>"I just really like you, I like your company, when you're not a sleazy jerk you are with everyone else-"</p><p>"I think she was right, I think I do have feelings for you-"</p><p>"-like your smile when you get a good grade or when we're watching a movie and you laugh and I love your laugh-"</p><p>"But you're my best friend, I do mean that, you're the best thing in my life and I don't know what you did to me, but I don't want to ruin this by screwing it up and hurting you-"</p><p>"Wait, what?" She asks, not following what he said and he leans in, giving her a peck on the cheek. She looks at him and she recognizes the butterflies, giving him a kiss back, but before she can lean back from it, he pulls her in a kiss.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apparently I draw now.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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